July 10, 2014

In game one, the Cardinals erased a 2-0 deficit and won in walk-off fashion in the bottom of the seventh inning. With the game tied 2-2, Miracle starter Tim Shibuya ventured into the seventh inning and allowed a one-out single to Nick Martini. Anthony Garcia followed with a base hit through the left side.

With runners at first and third, Jimmy Bosco hit a one-hop flare to third to move Martini to third and Garcia to second. Cesar Valera coaxed a walk to load the bases. After battling off a few full count pitches from Shibuya (5-3), Gerwuins Velazco roped a single down the left field line to plate the game-winning run, 3-2.

The Miracle had started the scoring in the first inning off Cardinals starter Silfredo Garcia. With two outs, Nate Roberts doubled into left field. Then, Dalton Hicks lifted a single through the left side of a shifted infield to score Roberts and give the Miracle a one-run lead.

Hicks added to the Fort Myers advantage in the top of the fourth. On a 2-2 pitch from Garcia (5-1), Hicks launched a solo homer to dead center field, 2-0. The home run was Hicks' fifth of the season and eighth extra-base hit in his last nine games.

Palm Beach retaliated in the bottom of the fourth. After Bruce Caldwell reached on a one-out single, Luke Voit tapped out to second to move Caldwell to third. Then, Martini sent a 2-0 pitch from Shibuya over the fence in right field to tie the game, 2-2. Martini's home run was his second of the year, both coming against the Miracle.

Garcia finished out the complete game by going all seven innings and tallying six strikeouts. Shibuya went all 6 2/3 innings on the mound for the Miracle and was handed the loss.

In game two, Palm Beach scored four runs off Miracle starter Matt Tomshaw. In the first, Charlie Tilson led off with a single and was sacrificed over to second by Ildemaro Vargas. Caldwell then lined a base hit to center to score Tilson, 1-0.

Tilson was in the mix again in the third when the Cardinals scored a pair of runs. Dante Rosenberg singled through the right side to begin the inning. Tomshaw (7-2) walked Tilson and Vargas again laid down a sacrifice bunt. Then, on a 1-1 pitch, Caldwell hit a drive to the gap in deep left center field. Max Kepler chased down the fly ball with an over-the-shoulder catch. Rosenberg trotted home from third on the sacrifice fly. On the same play, Tilson raced around third and followed Rosenberg home for a two-run sac fly, 3-0.

Fort Myers only offense against Palm Beach starter Jimmy Reed came in the top of the fourth. Niko Goodrum led off with an infield hit and stole second base. After Travis Harrison flied out to left, Hicks picked his third RBI of the day with a single up the middle, 3-1.

The Cardinals answered in the bottom of the fifth with a solo home run from Rosenberg. Tomshaw went five innings in a losing effort and allowed four runs on seven hits. Todd Van Steensel made his Miracle debut with scoreless inning.

Reed (3-0) pitched a complete game for Palm Beach and struck out six while giving up one run on four hits.

The Miracle (51-36, 10-8) wrap up the series with the Cardinals (50-38, 14-5) on Thursday.